Age just a number for veterans Cascadian & Rebel’s Romance

Two of Godolphin’s senior performers struck blows for the older generation on Saturday, with Cascadian and Rebel’s Romance both claiming major G1 victories.

Cascadian became only the third nine-year-old, and first since 1901, to capture the G1 Australian Cup at Flemington, when getting up on the line to take the historic race for a second successive year.

The son of New Approach has now amassed more than AUS$10m during a career that has included further G1 wins in the 2021 Doncaster Mile and 2022 All Aged Stakes.

Successful on his debut in France in July, 2017, Cascadian is Godolphin’s oldest ever Group winner, and just seven days younger than the oldest ever scorer in the royal blue silks, Baccarat. His racing journey looks set to continue, with the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes an option for the redoubtable warrior.

Rebel’s Romance has a few less miles on the clock but the six-year-old has also enjoyed a storied career and picked up a fourth G1 with a decisive victory in the Dubai Sheema Classic.

It was a second Dubai World Cup Night win for the son of Dubawi, who annexed the 2021 G2 UAE Derby, and adds to his previous top-level successes in the Grosser Preis von Berlin, Preis von Europa and Breeders' Cup Turf. A return to North America could be on the cards again, but not before a well-earned break.

Elsewhere on Dubai World Cup Night, Star Of Mystery displayed her ability as a sprinter as she chased home Hong Kong raider California Spangle in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint. Trawlerman and Siskany ran well in the G2 Dubai Gold Cup, while Measured Time, a half-brother to Rebel’s Romance, went down by just over a length when fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf.

Knightsbridge made an impressive start to his three-year-old season when scoring by nine lengths at Gulfstream Park on Thursday. A 10-length winner on his only juvenile outing, the half-brother to Speaker’s Corner could join Nash in next month’s G2 Pat Day Mile.

Fellow Nyquist colt Encino will be hoping to book his Kentucky Derby spot in this Saturday’s G1 Blue Grass Stakes, highlight of the opening weekend of Keeneland’s Spring Meet.

Seven horses have travelled to Keeneland for Charlie Appleby including last season’s G1 Breeders' Cup Mile hero Master Of The Seas, who is being aimed at the G1 Maker's Mark Mile on Friday, 12 April.

Several horses who ran at this year’s Dubai Racing Carnival have also travelled to Kentucky, with Musical Act and Mischief Magic on course to tackle Graded races this weekend.